So far, one of the more successful of our backyard ventures, food-wise. These are Van cherries and right now this batch is being baked into a clafoutis.
Update: baking results!
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9 Responses to Cherries from our very own tree — whee!
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Craftgawker
Etsy Mini
Did you plant the tree, or is it older? I would LOVE to have a Rainier cherry tree. how messy is it??
Hi Amanda. We’ve planted all our fruit trees. We go to Garland after the peak seasons and get the dwarf trees on sale or clearance. We have the one Van and now two Rainiers and so far I don’t think they have been messy at all. They’re in the grass, so I think whatever drops just gets mowed/mulched up.
No fruit is going to waste or falling, since we can give it to the chickens if the worms or other birds got to them.
You would have to have two kinds, because the Rainier needs a pollinator. (Thus, the Van, which actually I like a lot.)
HTH!
Hope you found a pitter for all those cherries, they look beautiful!
“I don’t think they have been messy at all”…that is great news! We pulled out three aged plum trees (that had wonderful tasting fruit!) because they made such a HUGE mess in the yard. We just couldn’t keep up with the production. Dwarf cherries sound PERFECT. I’ll have to start lobbying the spousal unit and stalking Garlands…
Are these cherries sour or sweet? I love sour cherries, and make loads of jam and cobblers from them, I do need to try a clafoutis though, since it seems to be THE fruit dessert of the year or something..I keep hearing about other people making them!
Brandy, these are a sweet variety. I looked up some sour varieties that grow in the Pacific Northwest and I guess they are English Morello, Montmorency, or North Star. I may have to look for one of those to grow, I like ‘em sour too!
Brooke, thanks, I did get a pitter… thank goodness. Thanks for the comment!
Did you pit the cherries for the clafoutis, or do it old skool and leave them in? I am dying to make one this year and can’t decide. Supposedly the pits give an extra nuance of flavour, but I think it would be annoying to keep having to pick them out.
Pitted, definitely pitted!